Bathroom stool



March 12, 1940. G. B. BENTZ 2,193,527

BATHROOM STOOL Filed June 23, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

awe/wim March 12, 1940. G. B. BENTZ 2,193,527

BATHROOM STOOL Filed June 25. 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ig Fig.8-

W'TNES$ March 12, 1940. BENTZ I I 2,193,527

BATHROOM STOOL Filed June 23, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 12, 1940 I BATHROOM s'rooL George B. Bentz, Bronx, N. Y.

ApplicationJune 23, 1938, Serial No. 215,473'

7Claims. (01. 155-365) UNITED STATES. PATENT "OFF CE v The invention aims to provide a new and improved stool which may be used to equal advantage upon a bathroom floor or straddling the side wall of a bathtub. 1

Another object is to provide a stool which may be placed astride a tub wall when turned to any of a plurality of positions, the construction. being preferably such that the stool will fit tub side walls of different thicknesses when turned to said positions.

A still further object is the provision of a stool in which the seat thereof will be supported in a level manner whether the stool be engaged with a tub wall or placed upon the floor.

Yet another aim is to provide a simple, inexpensive and light stool-which will be highly con- "venient, desirable, durable and safe.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing one form of the stool. I a Figure 2 is a sideel'evation of the stool of Fig. 1

showing the same engaged with a relatively thin bathtub side wall. 2

Figure 3 is aside elevation at right angles to Fig. 2 showing the stool engaged with a relatively thick tub side wall.

s Figure 4 is a detail sectional .view showing one of the many, ways-in which the seat .may be secured to the legs.

Figure 5 is a detailsectionalyiew illustrating one of the many connections which may be employed between the ends' of .metaltubing when the latter is used for constructing the legs.

Figure 6 .is'a side elevation of a stool similar to that shown in -Figs l to 3 but illustrating the legs securedin a diiferent manner to theseat.

"l 'I-of Fig. 6.-

Figure-8 is a side elevation partly broken away Figure? is a horizontal'sectional view on line:

. and in section showing a still further form of construction.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a stool similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 but having only three legs instead of four.-

wall.

Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on line Il-Hoi Fig. 10 illustrating the manner in which the stoolmaybe engaged portion of the stool of 12, on line l3'-l3 of Fig. 14. l

Figure 14 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on line l4l4 of Fig. 12.

Figures 15 and '16 are side elevationsshowing provision for adjusting the stool to fit tub side walls of various thicknesses.

While a number of forms of construction have been illustrated and will be explainecLit is to be understood that they do not constitute all of the forms which the invention may take, being illustrative rather than limiting.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral i denotes a horizontal seat of any suitable material but considered asof metal for the present disclosure.- Four legs 2, 3, 4 and 5 are provided for this seat, said legs beingformed by bending a single rod or length of tubing into substantially zig-zag shape; giving each leg substantially U-shape and connecting the upper ends of the legs by arched portions 6. The legs are of such length and spacingas to adapt the stool to either rest upon a floor or to straddle a tub side wall, and it \irill be obvious that with the stool turned toone position, two of its legs will be at the inner side 4130 to the position of Fig. 3,- said legs will snugly straddle a relatively thick side wall W. The legs 2 and 3are provided with steeplyinclined inner edges 7 to lie against the correspondingly inclinedinner side of the tub wallW, and the legs 5 and 4 are provided with substantially? vertical inner edges 8 to abutthe outer side 'of said wall, these edges I and 8 being at such angles to the seat 'I, as to support the latter ina level position when the stool is upon the wall'W. I The legs 3 and 5 are provided with steeply iiiclined inner edges 8 to abut the inner side of the relatively thick side wall W, and the legsg and 4 are provided with inner edges ill disposed about vertically to abut the outerside of said wall, said edges 9 and ill beingat such angles to the seat it? that the latter will be supported in a level position when the stool is engaged with the wall W. All of the legs are, of course, of such length that the seat I will be level when said legs rest upon a floor.

For illustrative purposes, I have shown the arched portions 5 welded at H to the seat I but they obviously could be connected thereto in other ways. For example, if the seat be of wood as shown at l in Fig. 4, bent metal straps I?! could extend under the arched portions t and could be secured to said seat by screws E3 or in any other preferred Way.

When metal tubing is used, in constructing the legs, the ends of saidtubing may be secured to each other in any suitable way, for instance,

by welding, brazing or the like, with or without an insert M in the joint. When a: rod is used in the formation of the legs, its ends may be brazed together, welded or otherwise secured.

In Figs. 6 and '7, l5 denotes a leg structure corresponding to that above described, the arched leg-connecting portions l6 thereofbeing welded against flanges l'l bent downwardly from a metal plate it, the seat ll! of wood or metal being secured upon said plate in any suitable way.

In Fig. 8, legs 26 related with each other in substantially the same manner as the legs above described, are bent from four separate pieces of rod or tubing, each leg having a U-shape and having its upper ends secured suitably in sockets 2% in the seat 22,

In Figs. 9, l0 and 11, the seat 23 is provided with only three legs 24, 25 all of which may be formed from a single length of rod or tubing or in other suitable manner. The construction in connection with this steel is such that the same may be engaged with a tub wall when the stool is turned to any of three positions, and the legs are provided with inner opposed portions which solidly abut the tub wall, said portions being preferably so spaced that the stool in its three positions will snugly engage tub walls of three different thicknesses. The inner edges of the legs are at such angles to the seat that the latter will be supported in a level position when the stool occupies any of the three positions to which it may be turned. The inner sides of the legs are of course disposed in substantially vertical planes at 60 to each other so that the inner side of any one leg may abut one side of a tub wall when one edge of each of the other two legs abuts the opposite side of said tub wall.

In Figs. 12, 13 and i l, the seat 2? is provided with four legs 2E and all bent from sheet metal in such manner that each leg is of right angular shape. in transverse section, the upper ends of said legs being spot-welded at 32 to a downturned flange 33 on a horizontal plate a, the seat 2'1 being'suitably secured upon said plate. The inner edges of the various legs are so shaped that their relation is the same as that existing between the inner' edges of the legs shown in Figs, 1 to 3, and said edges are preferably provided with channel-shaped rubber edging ilfi'for tub protection purposes. It will also be understood that any of the legs above described or hereinafter described, may be proviclcd with similar provision to prevent injuring the finish of the tub, if desired.

In Fig. 15, two of the legs for the seat 35 are denoted at 31 and 3% respectively, the inner edge of leg is? being substantially vertical to abut the outer side of atub wall while the leg 33 is pro vided with an adjustably mounted plate 39 to abut the inclined side of the tub wall, the ad.-

justment being shown as consisting of slots 40 and bolts 4|.

In Fig. 16, two of the legs for the seat 42 are 5 shown at 43 and 44, leg 43 being provided with a substantially vertical inner edge to abut the outer side of a tub wall, whereas leg 44 is provided with two adjustable screws 45 having feet 45 on their inner ends to abut the inner side of 10 said wall, Obviously, thedevices of Figs. 15 and 16 may be adjusted to adapt the stool for use with tub walls of various thicknesses.

It will be seen from the foregoing that novel and advantageous constructions have been pro- 15 vided for carrying out the objects of the invention. Attention is again invited to the fact that not all possible forms of construction have been illustrated. Furthermore, variations may be made over the structures disclosed, within the 20 scope of the invention is claimed.

I claim:

l. A bathtub stool comprising a horizontal seat, and legs of length and spacing to either rest on a floor or straddle a bathtub wall, said legs having opposed inner portions to abut the inner and outer sides of the tub wall, said portions being respectively steeply inclined and substantially vertical and at such angles to said seat as tosupport the latter in a level position when 3 the stool is engaged with the tub wall, said legs being of such length as to also support the seat in a level position when the stool rests on a floor.

2. A bathroom stool comprising a seat, and legs of length and spacing to either rest on e4 floor or to straddle a bathtub wall, said legs being so related with said seat as to straddle a tub wall when the stool is turned to one position and to straddle a tub wall when the steel is turned to another position, said legs having .p portions disposed in steeply inclined planesto abut the inclined inner side of a tub wall and portions in substantially vertical planes to abut the substantially vertical outer side of a tub wall, said portions being so spaced and related with said seat as to solidly abut the tub wall and support the seat in alevel manner when the stool is turned to either of the aforesaid positions.

3. A bathroom stool comprising a horizontal seat, and legs for said seat of length and spacing 5n adapting them to either rest on a floor or to straddle a relatively thin bathtub wall when the stool is turned't'o one position or to straddle a relatively thick bathtub wall when said stool is turned; to a second position, said legs having opposed portions to abut the inner and outer sides of a relatively thin tub wall and more wide- 1y spaced opposed portions to abut the inner and outer sides of the relatively thick wall.

4. A bathroom stool comprising a horizontal seat, and legs for said seat of length and: spacing adapting them to either rest on a floor or to straddle a relatively thin bathtub Wall when the stool is turned to one position or to straddle a relatively thick bathtub wall when said stool is turned to a second position, said legs having portions disposed in a steeply inclined plane to abut the steeply inclined inner side of the relatively thin tub wall, and portions in substantially a vertical plane to abut the substantially vertical outer side of said relatively thin wall; said l-egs also having portions corresponding to those aforesaid but more widely spaced to abut the sides of the relatively thick wall, said portions being at such angles to said seat as to sup- 7:5

port the latter in a level is upon either wall. 7 I

5. A structure as specified in claim 1; said legs position :whenthe stool beingall formed from a rod or tube bent to form members at an angle to each other, each of said side members of any leg being inwardly widen-ed at its upper end and having said widened upper end abutting theadjacent inwardly widened upper end of the next adjacent leg, the side members'at any side of the stool having inner edges so spaced as to abut the inner and outer sides of a double-wall bathtub wall when the legs are placed astride thereof, said widened upper ends of said side members having curved lower edges extending to said inner edges and providing arched formations to rest upon the rim of the I j tub wall. i

' '7. A structure as specified inclaim 6, said legs being'ofsuch length and said inner edges so, related withsai d seat as to support the latter i in a level position whether the stool be enaged witha .tub'wall or supported on a floor.

GEORGE B. BlilNIZ. 

